MAX (group)

MAX is a four member female idol group hailing from Okinawa, Japan. The group, whose name is an acronym for Musical Active eXperience, debuted in May 1995 while performing with Namie Amuro as part of the SUPER MONKEYS. The group shot to stardom with the release of their third single, TORA TORA TORA, in 1996 and have enjoyed 15 top 10 singles and several million selling albums. Since their debut, the group has sold over 10,000,000 records. In 2002, their lead vocalist Mina left the group due to pregnancy and was replaced by Aki. Mina returned to the group six years later on October 28, 2008 after Aki left the group at the end of August that year.
Offering an alternative to the more traditional idols, MAX set themselves apart focusing on high impact choreography and a sexier more adult image.
Contents
Members
Former Member
- Aki (2002-2008)
Information
Hailing from prestigious Okinawa Actors School and signed under Toshiba-EMI, they were brought by their label in Tokyo to try their luck in the main limelight. They had released two relatively unsuccessful singles until Amuro Namie left and became Namie's backup dancers until March 1996. They released their movie Ladie's Max and their third single TORA TORA TORA, which debuted at #19 and gave them a chance to take off as a band and as MAX. In December of the same year, they released their debut album, MAXIMUM, which went straight to the top of the charts and reached pass 1,000,000 units sold mark.
Following MAXIMUM's success, they released a sequel to their first movie with the single Give me a shake as the movie's theme song and the first original song the band made. The song went straight to #1, giving them their first #1 hit. In fall of 1997, they went on their first tour J-POP GIG TOUR. They then released their second album MAXIMUM II of Christmas Day the same year which came as successful as its prequel. In 1999, they had released their first greatest hits collection and released their first ballad entitled Issho ni.... The single became their second best selling single.
In 2000, the band decided to take over their own music composing and producing, releasing their first R&B single, Never gonna stop it, which debuted at #8. But, it wasn't sustained and sold only 100,000 copies, marking the beginning of declining sales. In 2002, Mina, the band's lead vocalist, announced her depart from the group due to her marriage and pregnancy. This came after they had released their second ballad, Spring rain, which debuted in #28, breaking their 19 consecutive top 20 singles. Because of this, the release of their fifth album was canceled. And instead release their third greatest hits and the group took a hiatus afterwards.
Months after, the news of a new MAX member circulated. A fanclub meeting took place afterwards where the three original members performed their smash hit and confirmed the news by introducing the new member, Aki. They also announced the release of a new single and album at the meeting. However, the single's released was canceled and the album was released. Their official comeback single, eternal white, debuted in #20 but fell short as it quickly went off of the charts. The same charting positions continued even in 2003, where two released singles failed to place in the top 30. In 2004, their cover of Atomic Kitten's Be With You still failed to enter the top 30 even through with lots of promotions. After performing in United States at Texas' AnimeFEST, the group members took time for their own solo careers. In 2005, they celebrated their 10th anniversary with a hotel tour entitled MAX LOVE TRIP 2005, a four-show span that was done in May. In November, they release the single Anata wo Omou Hodo, which include a remake of their first ballad Issho ni.... After that, they had released their newest album in five years, Jewel of Jewels.
At the end of August 2008, Aki quit the group to pursue a career in singer-songwriter. Then months later on October 28, it was announced that Mina had rejoined the group after an extended absence. They release a new remix album, entitled NEW EDITION ~MAXIMUM HITS~, and a new single after three years, entitled Rough Cut Diamond.
Discography
Albums
- [1996.12.11] MAXIMUM
- [1997.12.25] MAXIMUM II
- [1998.12.02] MAXIMUM GROOVE
- [2001.03.14] EMOTIONAL HISTORY
- [2006.02.22] Jewel of Jewels
Remix Albums
- [2000.06.28] SUPER EUROBEAT presents HYPER EURO MAX
- [2002.08.21] MAXIMUM TRANCE
- [2008.12.10] NEW EDITION ~MAXIMUM HITS~
- [2016.01.27] MAX ALL SINGLES NON STOP MIX (Digital)
- [2019.07.31] NEW EDITION II ~MAXIMUM HITS~
Cover Albums
- [2010.09.08] BE MAX
Best Albums
- [1999.09.29] MAXIMUM COLLECTION
- [2002.03.20] PRECIOUS COLLECTION 1995-2002
- [2010.12.04] avex archives COMPLETE BEST MAX
- [2015.12.23] MAXIMUM PERFECT BEST
Singles
- [1995.05.10] Koisuru Velfarre Dance ~Saturday Night~ (恋するヴェルファーレダンス)
- [1995.08.21] KISS ME KISS ME,BABY
- [1996.02.21] TORA TORA TORA
- [1996.07.17] Seventies
- [1996.10.09] GET MY LOVE!
- [1997.04.09] Give me a Shake
- [1997.07.30] Love is Dreaming
- [1997.10.29] Shinin'on-Shinin'love
- [1998.04.22] Hikari no VEIL (閃光-ひかり-のVEIL)
- [1998.07.23] Ride on time
- [1998.09.09] Grace of my heart
- [1999.03.03] Love impact
- [1999.05.26] Ano Natsu e to (あの夏へと)
- [1999.08.25] Ginga no Chikai (銀河の誓い)
- [1999.11.25] Issho ni... (一緒に・・・)
- [2000.02.16] Never gonna stop it
- [2000.05.24] MAGIC
- [2000.09.26] Barairo no Hibi (バラ色の日々)
- [2001.02.15] always love
- [2001.05.16] Perfect Love
- [2001.09.27] moonlight
- [2001.12.05] Feel so right
- [2002.02.20] Spring rain
- [2002.11.20] eternal white
- [2003.03.12] Festa
- [2003.08.06] LOVE SCREW
- [2004.06.30] Be With You
- [2005.07.06] Nirai Kanai (ニライカナイ)
- [2005.11.30] Anata wo Omou Hodo (あなたを想うほど)
- [2006.08.02] SPLASH GOLD -Natsu no Kiseki- / Prism Of Eyes (夏の奇蹟)
- [2009.07.22] Rough Cut Diamond (ラフカットダイアモンド)
- [2010.05.12] CAT'S EYE
- [2013.08.07] Tacata'
- [2014.09.10] Jounetsu no ZUMBA (情熱のZUMBA)
- [2015.07.22] #SELFIE ~ONNA Now~
- [2019.06.26] Parthenon (パルテノン)
- [2021.07.28] Do Shot
Digital Singles
- [2014.09.03] Jounetsu no ZUMBA (情熱のZUMBA)
- [2015.01.14] Heartbreaker
- [2015.06.24] #SELFIE ~ONNA Now~
- [2015.11.25] Mi Mi Mi
- [2020.12.09] Issho ni... (Happiness 2020) (一緒に・・・)
Other Singles
- [2013.07.04] Check me! (Fanclub only)
Video Releases
- [1997.10.08] J-POP GIG TOUR 1997
- [1998.02.25] MAXIMUM CLIPS
- [1999.11.10] MAX LIVE CONTACT 1999 ~Sunny Holiday~
- [2000.03.29] MAXIMUM CLIPS II
- [2000.09.27] MAX LIVE CONTACT 2000 ~No boundly~
- [2001.10.24] MAX LIVE CONTACT 2001 ~Bitter 4 Sweet~
- [2002.03.20] PRECIOUS CLIP COLLECTION 1995-2002
- [2002.12.11] BEST CLIPS
- [2009.08.05] MAX PRESENTS LIVE CONTACT 2009 "NEW EDITION"
- [2016.01.27] MAX 20th LIVE CONTACT 2015 BACK TO THE MAX FUTURE
Compilations / Other
- [1995.07.21] avex dance Matrix '95 (#10 "Koisuru Velfarre Dance ~Saturday Night~")
- [1995.98.21] WE LOVE SATURDAY NIGHT!! (#4 "DI DI LA LA LA ~Shigoto ga Koi no Jama wo Suru")
- [1996.xx.xx] NON STOP SUPER DANCE (#10 "TORA TORA TORA")
- [1996.07.17] avex dance net '96 in VELFARRE (#19 "TORA TORA TORA")
- [1997.02.27] velfarre Vol. 7 (#22 "Seventies")
- [1997.07.09] avex dance carnival~SUMMER'97~ (#16 "GET MY LOVE!!")
- [1997.07.24] VELFARRE J-POP NIGHT presents DANCE with YOU (#2 "S.O.S", #6 "UFO", #10 "Dou ni mo Tomaranai", #11 "Kuruwasetai no", #15 "Seishun Jidai")
- [1998.04.22] avex DANCE Vol. 6 (#18 "Shinin' on - Shinin' love")
- [1998.08.05] avex 10th Anniversary Presents "Jyuunen Hyakumagari ~J-POP HIT TRACKS~" (#9 "GET MY LOVE!", #10 "Give me a Shake", #11 "Seventies", #12 "TORA TORA TORA")
- [1999.08.04] ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL SUPER EUROBEAT REQUEST COUNT DOWN 100!! (#10 "Hikari no VEIL (Extended Joyful Mix)", #11 "Love impact (Eurobeat Remix)", #12 "Ride on time (Melodic Remix)")
- [2000.01.26] Super Eurobeat 102 (#18 "Ginga no Chikai (Eurobeat Mix)")
- [2000.08.02] Super Eurobeat 110 Millennium Anniversary Non-Stop Megamix (CD 3 #16 "TORA TORA TORA", #17 "Seventies", #18 "HARMONY", #19 "SUMMER TIME", #20 "LOVE LOVE FIRE", #21 "SO MUCH IN LOVE", #22 "KISS TO KISS", #23 "Shinin’on-Shinin’love(Aggressive Mix)", #24 "Give me a Shake(Euro-Power Mix)", #25 "Ride on time(Eurobeat Mix)", #26 "Issho ni... (Sweet Mix)", #27 "Hikari no VEIL (Traditional Mix)", #28 "Love impact(MELODIC REMIX)", #29 "Ano Natsu e to (TIME GO GO REMIX)", #30 "Ginga no Chikai (EUROBEAT MIX)")
- [2001.01.11] Super Eurobeat Presents - J-Euro Best (#2 "Ginga no Chikai (Eurobeat Mix)", #13 "Give me a Shake (Euro-Power Mix)")
- [2001.01.24] Super Eurobeat 114 (#18 "Never gonna stop it (Eurobeat Mix)")
- [2001.05.23] Super Eurobeat 118 (#18 "MAGIC (Eurobeat Mix)")
- [2001.09.27] Super Eurobeat Presents - J-Euro Non-Stop Best (#5 "Ano Natsu e to (Time Go Go Remix)", #6 "Ginga No Chikai (Eurobeat Mix)", #12 "Hikari No Veil (Extended Joyful Mix)", #13 "Give Me A Shake (Euro-Power Mix)")
- [2004.08.04] Super Eurobeat 150 Anniversary Golden Hits Special Mega-Mix
- [2005.03.31] Super Euro Groove - J-Euro Special Selection (TORA TORA TORA, Ano Natsu he yo (Time Go Go Remix), Ginga no Chikai (Eurosenti Mix))
- [2006.09.06] Super Euro Groove - J-Euro Special Non-Stop Edition
- [2007.11.21] VISION FACTORY presents CHRISTMAS HARMONY (#3 "No.1 ~Your Lady~")
- [2008.02.13] Spring Harmony - Vision Factory presents (#9 a special day)
- [2010.06.02] SUPER EUROBEAT VOL.204 (#13 "TORA TORA TORA (2010 YEAR OF THE TIGER REMIX)")
- [2011.03.02] BEGIN 20th ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL TRIBUTE ALBUM (#7 "Ai ga Hashiru")
- [2014.03.18] hitomi - "Bara Yume" collaboration with MAX
- [2017.11.15] Aku Yu Tribute Special Songs ~Asahi no Youni~ (#3 "Monday Mona Lisa Club", #6 "S・O・S (Rearrange ver.)", #12 "Kuruwasetai no (Rearrange ver.)", #14 "Dou ni mo Tomoranai (Rearrange ver.)", #15 "UFO (Rearrange ver.)", #18 "Seishun Jidai")
Filmography
Dramas
- [1995] Yoru mo Hippare
- [1998] Sweet Devil
- [2005] Starlight
Movies
- [1996] Ladie's MAX
- [1997] Ladie's MAX: Give me a Shake
External Links
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